Door-operating mechanism



March 29, 1927.

J. 1,. QUINN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April 2- 1920 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES razzsei PATENT "'FFICE.

JAMES. L. QUINN, OF RAHWAY, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR- TO NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF.NEW YORK, Na Y., A CORPGRATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

This invention relates to door operating mechanism, and especially such 'mechanlsm as employed on street cars where pneumatically operated motors are employed for controlling the opening and closing movements of the door.

The object of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism designed especially for use on street cars which is simple in structure, efficient in operation and economical ofoperation, and requiring'little or no attention in maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the class described means for causing the door to reverse its movement if the same meets an obstruction during its closing movement.

Further objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter. I y

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will. be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown by the accompanying drawing and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, largely diagrammatic, of a door and door operating mechanism. and the control apparatus employed in connection therewith, in accordance with my invention.

Fig.2 is detail view in section, taken on the line 2, 2, F ig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3' is a detail view in. end elevation, partially in section, through the shoe.

The same part is designated by the same reference character wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

' In door operating mechanism many means have been devised for securing the reversal of movement of the door in case the same meets an obstruction in its closing movement. Where the doors are operated by pneumatic motors it has heretofore been the custom to provide in addition to the main valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to and exhaust thereof from the motorand auxiliary valve, sometimes referred to as the pilot valve. and to control the pilot valve by the depressing movement of a collapsible shoe on the door edge, whereby in case the shoe'is collapsed by the'door meeting an obstruction in its closing move ment the pilot valve isactuated to in turn Application filed April 2, 1920. Serial No. 370,740.

heretofore employed for this purpose, principal-amongwhich being, that due to the sluggishnessof the motor "action caused by the. necesity of transmitting motion from one part to-another through a series of intermediary devices requiring actuation, a quick reversal not effected, whereby it frequently happens that though the shoe collapses. that is, the shoe on meeting an obstruction remains stationary against the obstruction, the door itself is still advancing with the full force of the'fluid pressure behind the same, withtheresult that when the shoe has collapsed to the limit of its collapsible movement a shock or sudden impact of no little force is imposed upon the obstruction, and if the obstruction is the human body it is apparent that injury may occur. In addition to this objection'additional piping incident to the use of a pilot valve and the addition of the apparatus itself makes the equipment expensive, the leakage due to the extra piping excessive, and additional parts to be maintained in operation. I

It is among'the special purposes of my present invention to provide means for securing the reversal of the motor and its door upon the door meeting an obstruction in its closing movements without the use of additional equipment, that is, with nothing in addition to the ordinary motor and its main valve control. Referring to the drawing, as illustrative of the principles of my invention, I indicate at 1 the door, mounted inany suitable or well known manner, for example, slidably mounted in the frame 2. Movably mounted on the front edge of the door as at 3 is the shoe, the shoe being pivotally supported by the door by means of the brackets l, carried by the door, to the ends of which bracket bell crank levers 5 are secured,-one end of which supports the shoe 3, and the other ends of which are connected together by means of a rod 6, having mountedthereon a spring 7 normally tending to maintain the 'shoe 3 in its exteridedposition. This construction is well known in the art and is in common use; "The door motor is indicated diagrammatically at 8 and fluid pressure to operate the same is controlled by means of the magnet valves 9 and 10, the magnet valve 9 when energized causing the motor arm 11, which is slidably connected. to the door rod 12 in the usual well known manner, to close the door. Likewise when the magnet valve is energized, the motor is actuated to open the door. This struc ture is likewise well known in the art, and forms no part of my present invention. The usual switches are shown generally at 13 for controlling the current to the magnet valve in the usual well known manner, a line 14 connected to a suitable current source terminates in contacts 15 and 16. Contact 16 is adapted to be bridged by push button 17 with contact 18, which leads through line 19 to the opening magnet valve 10. Likewise contact 15 is adapted to be bridged by the push botton 20 with contact 21 which is 0011- nected by line 22 to the closing magnet valve 9. The two magnet valves are connected by a common lead 23 to ground. be apparent that, say, the door is in the po sition shown in Fig. 1, if the push button 17 is closed, that is, to open the door, current is supplied to the opening magnet 10, which allows fluid pressure in the motor to actuate the same, to move the door to its open position. It will be apparent that when shoe 3 is collapsed relative to the door the rod 6 is moved upwardly, due to its connection with the bell crank lever 5. In accordance with my invention I employ the upper movement oi the rod to impart rotative movement to a rod in the usual well known manner, as for example as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein rod 30 has at its end an eccentric 31 carrying at a position offcenter relative thereto, a pin 32, which pin is positioned in a yoke 33 01" the rod 6, so that the upward movement of the rod (5 imparts rotat-ive movement to the rod 30. Mounted on the rod 30, enclosed preferably in a suitable case 34, is a cylinder of suitable insulating ma-' terial, upon the peripheral surface of which are mounted conducting strips 36 and 37, the conducting strip 36 being relatively narrow as compared with the conducting strip 37, and conducting strip 36 being positioned normally nearer the contacts which coopcrate therewith and which will be more fully hereinafter described, than the conducting strip 37. Separated contact fingers 38 and 39 are positioned to bear against the cylinder within the casing 34 and to be bridged by the conductor strip 36 upon rotation of the rod 30. Similarly separated contacting fingers 40 and 41 are positioned within the casing to bear against the cylinder 35 and adapted to be bridged by the conducting strip37 upon rotation of the rod 30. The fingers 39 and 40 are connected together and to oneterminal of a switch 42 normally closed by a member 43 with the other ter-' Thus it will minal 44 which is connected by line 45 with a source of current. The switch closing member 43 is mounted in the casing 34, and has a spring 46 normally lending to hold the member 43 in position to close the circuit between switch members 44 and 42. Contact finger 41 connected by means of line 47 to the line 19 oi opening magnet valve 10. Contact finger 38 is connected by means oi line 48 to the line 22 of the closing magnet valve 9. It is to be understood, of course, that the cylinder 35 is mounted on the rod 30 so that any rotative movement oi: the rod 30 imparts rotation to the cylinder, but free longitudinal movement of the rod relative to the cylinder is afforded. This relative longitudinal movement may be accom plished in any desired manner as by a slot 30 in 30 in which a key in .35 slides.

From the foregoing the operation of the device will be apparent to be as follows: Assume that the door is in its open position, that is, in the position shown in dotted lines, and it is desired to close the door. The closing button switch 20 is depressed, establishing circuit connection from the current line 14, contact 15, switch 20, contact 21, line 22, magnet valve 9, to ground 23, whereupon the motor is actuated to close the door, if no obstruction is encountered and the door will complete its closing movement. Assume, however, that an obstruct-ion is en countered in its closing movements, causing the shoe 3 to collapse, thereby raising the rod 6, and consequentlyrotating the rod 30, the slightest rotation of therod 30 will cause the conductor strip 36 to establish circuit connection between fingers 38 and 39. The switch members 44 and 42 being in. circuit current will flow from the source 45 through contacts44, 43. 42 to finger 39, conductor strip 36, finger 38, line 48, through the closing magnet 9 as above described so that nothing would happen in addition to what has already happened due to the closing of the button switch 20. Thus it the obstruc' tion is merely of a momentary nature and is immediately withdrawn the door will continue its closing movement. If the obstruction,.however, is of such nature as to cause further rotation of the rod 30 then the con ducting strip 36 will pass beneath thefingers 38 and 39 breaking the circuit connection therebetween bringing the conductor strip 37 beneath the fingers 40 and 41 with the result that the following circuit is closed, line 45, switch 44, 43, 42, finger 40,v finger 41, line 47, to opening magnet 10 and ground 23, thereby energizing the opening magnet at a time when the circuit of the closing magnet is open, thus reversing the operation of the motor, causing the door to open. As soon, however, as the obstruction to the thereof to be extended again automatically in the usual well known manner, and'as above described, thus causing rotation of the rod 30 in the manner above set forth back to its normal position the conductor strip 36 will again establish connection between fingers 88 and 39 thus energizing closing magnet 9, as above explained, and causing the door to resume its closing movement without further operation of the switch 20 or of the operator attending the car. I further provide means in accordance with my invention for preventing the collapsing movement of the shoe after the door has completed its closing movement through accident or design causing the door to open under power. For this purpose I provide a lever 50 on the end of the rod 30, the end of the lever being positioned. in line with the end of the switch member 43 so that when the door reaches its completely closed position the lever 50 will depress the member 43 against the action of the spring 46 forcing the conducting tip of the member 43 from. between switch members 44 and 42, thereby breaking the circuit connection from the line 45 and the fingers 39 and 40. As soon as the door is moved to its open position a suflicient distance, as will be readily understood, the spring 46 will cause the switch member 43 to again establish circuit connection between contacts 44 and 42. By this arrangement it is apparent that when circuit connection between switch members 44 and 42 is broken the auxiliary control circuit of both magnet valves is broken, and consequently the collapsing movement of the shoe will effect no operation of the motor. Many other modifications and changes in detail will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims, therefore what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. The combination with a car door, and

a motor for operating the door to open and close the same, of an opening and closing magnet for respectively, when energized, initiating the opening and closing movements of said door, a collapsible shoe carried by said door and adapted to be moved relative to the door upon encountering an obstruction during the closing movement of the door, a rod carried by said door to move therewith, means actuated by the collapsing movement of said door for rotating said rod, means controlled by the rotation of said rod for supplying current to said opening magnet. means for automatically extendingsaid shoe to its normal position when pressure thereagainst is removed to thereby rotate said rod in an opposite direction to normal position, means controlled thereby for supplying current to said closing magnet, and means controlled by the door reaching the limit of its closing movement for rendering said current supplying means to the opening magnet inoperative.

2. The combination with a car door, and a motor for operating the door to open and close the same, of an opening and closing magnet for respectively, when energized, initiating the opening and closing movements of said door, a collapsible shoe carried by said door and adapted to be moved relative to the door upon encountering an obstruction during the closing movement of the door, a rod carried by said door to move therewith, means actuated by the collapsing movement of said door for rotating said rod, and means controlled by the rotation of said rod for supplying current to said opening magnet, means for automatically extending said shoe to its normal position when pressure thereagainst is removed to thereby rotate said rod in an opposite direction to normal position, means cont-rolled thereby for supplying current to said closing magnet, and means actuated by said rod upon the door reaching the limit of its closing movement for rendering "said current supplying means to the opening magnet in operatlve.

3. The combination with a car door, and a motor for operating the door to open and close the same, of an opening and closing magnet for respectively, when energized, initiating the opening and closing movements of said door, normally controlled circuits for controlling said magnets, normally open auxiliary circuits for each of said magnets, and means controlled by the door meeting an obstruction during its closing movement for closing the auxiliary circuit of the opening magnet. and means actuated by the withdrawal of the obstruction for opening the auxiliary circuit of the opening magnet, and thereafter closing the circuit of the closing magnet, a normally closed auxiliary switch for controlling said auxiliary circuits, and means actuated by the door reaching the limit of its closing movement for opening said switch, and means actuated by V the first opening movement of the door thereafter for again closing said auxiliary switch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of March A. D., 1920.

JAMES L. QUINN. 

